Hensel - Vladimir Kramnik The inside story of a chess genius

Vinay Bhat rose through the ranks of American chess in the 1990s and 2000s, overcoming plateaus, competitive challenges, and academic and professional commitments, before achieving the highest title in chess. Follow Vinay’s path to improvement and the struggles he had to go through, to carve out your own path to improvement and achieve your chess goals.

How I Became a Chess Grandmaster is a personal story that entertains as it instructs. With numerous photographs and anecdotes, you can follow the inspirational rise of a young player from novice to Grandmaster.

Vinay Bhat became a National Master at the age of 10 and an International Master at 15 – at the time the youngest American IM since Bobby Fischer. He later went on to gain the ultimate title of Grandmaster in his mid-twenties. 344 pages

Encore un livre sur le principe “move by move”, créé jadis par Chernev.et repris ensuite par Nunn, McDonald et quelques moindres. C'est ici l'auteur de How to defend in chess et Great Attackers qui s'y colle, avec un certain bonheur - même s'il n'a pu éviter les redites et enfonçages de portes ouvertes qui sont la loi du genre. Reste que les joueurs de tous niveaux trouveront agrément et profit à découvrir ces 33 parties ultra-récentes (2005-08) commentées en (grand) détail.

 This set of  pieces in acaciawood have a slightly raised base which creates the impression of 'floating' on the chess board.A truly classic looking Staunton influenced chess piece collection that does not compromise on quality. Size of king is 8,2 cm. Wel weighted and felted. We propose a classical walnut chessboard of 45 cm for this set of pieces.

This beautiful Staunton chess pieces earn a point in their history; in the 19th century, London was a major center for the production of chess pieces. John Jaques, one of the main ivory and wood turner then, decided to better the appearance and it's function of the chess pieces. Together with his partner Nathaniel Cook, they finish their model in 1849 and record it in honor of Howard Staunton, a former charismatic chess player and journalist. A kind of marketing hit ahead of its time.

The Staunton chess pieces are stable by their broad base and the general aesthetics of the pieces is transformed: The tower is an impregnable fortress, the line of pawns is refined, the miter of the runner is simplified, it is now more easier to distinguishes the crown of the king thanks to the cross, from the lady her pointed collar. And above all, the ultra-realistic appearance of the horse raises the desire to fight on. Style which we clearly find inspiration back in the frieze of the Parthenon, a masterpiece of Greek sculpture in the 5eeuw BC. which is largely preserved in the British Museeum London.

The Staunton pieces quickly had a great success and were officially prescribed in 1924 for competion. Different variants of Staunton since the original model made in 1849 are now all over the world available for chess players, but they remain faithful to the "John Jaques style".

The Supreme Staunton chess pieces are felted and weighted. They are cut in a dense, valuable ebony, an exceptional deep black. They are perfectly polished, smooth and shiny, and fine glittered with oxalic acid crystals. Giving them as recollected more brilliance to light.

They will perfectly suit on a chess board with squares of 55 mm.